CAT SCRATCH FEVER

Once again, a fat cat has come out on top. No, we’re not talking about a Wall Street banker or a well-connected politician. This time, it’s literally a portly feline gaining the spoils. Merry Noel, a chubby kitty at Springfield’s Forever Home Feline Ranch, has won some new furniture for her fellow felines in a nationwide contest. Merry inadvertently posed for an amusing picture, which was then sent in to the Big Kitty Photo Contest, held by ModernCat.net, a cat-centric blog focusing on modern designs and products. The winning photo shows Merry lazily straddling a couch arm, and the Ranch now gets to pick a Scratch’n Slumber Comfort Lounge from Brawny Cat. The lounge, which can be seen at BrawnyCat.com, allows cats to sleep on and scratch their own furniture, instead of their owners’ couches or drapes.

The feline ranch aims to be a no-kill, no-cage sanctuary for all cats in need of a home, though the group doesn’t have an official property yet. They’re seeking donations of money or land to make the ranch a reality, and they have cats for adoption in the meantime. See the winning picture and get more info on Forever Home Feline Ranch by calling 679-1593 or visting http://www.felineranch.org/.